This invention relates to pressed, dried flowers and other organic materials and to presses for drying such materials.
It has long been known to dry and press flowers and other organic materials by sandwiching the flower or material between sheets of absorbent material (such as cloth or felt) which are backed by more rigid materials and applying pressure. The use of books to dry and press flowers is one example of this technique. Eventually, the flower will dry. However, problems of absorption of the excess moisture from this drying process arise. Moreover, such conventional approaches are time-consuming and lead to color loss in the pressed material.
Microwave ovens have been used to facilitate the drying and pressing process. For instance, an article from the London Times entitled How to Bloom in a Basket (Jan. 21, 1990), heralding a weekend course on pressing and drying flowers, discloses sandwiching flowers between blotting paper and newspaper and placing the assembly in a flower press and then in a microwave oven. Glorious Pressed Flower Projects by Cellestine Hannemann (1991) also discloses use of a microwave oven in the flower drying process. In Glorious Pressed Flower Projects, the flowers are placed on a polyester pad, and a flat sheet of chipboard is pressed atop the flowers. Marble or glass weights are used to flatten and weigh down the sandwich of flowers. The sandwich is then placed in a microwave oven and heated. Australian Patent No. 695560 to Beecroft describes a flower press in which a flower is sandwiched between thin absorbent sheets backed by felt pads. The pads are then sandwiched between plastic platens held together by clips. The assembly is then placed in a microwave oven.
This invention is a device for pressing and drying organic materials in a microwave oven. The organic material is inserted between two sheets of thin cloth which are, in turn, sandwiched between two thick felt pads. These pads are then sandwiched between platens made from inorganic material, preferably ceramic, such as unglazed terra cotta. The assembly is placed in a microwave oven and heated, resulting in a pressed and dried organic material.
This invention vastly improves the microwave drying and pressing processes of the prior art. Terra cotta platens are inexpensive and easily molded into desired shapes. Moreover, because some ceramics, such as terra cotta, are not fully microwave transparent (as opposed to the plastic platens of the prior art which are fully microwave transparent, resulting in over-drying of the flower), the drying process is tempered, rendering cracking and scorching of the flower or plant less likely and enhancing the color-retention of the organic material. In addition, ceramics like terra cotta, unlike plastic, are a moisture absorbent material. The moisture from the drying process is therefore transferred from the felt backing to the ceramic platens, which moderates the drying process. Furthermore, the weight of the platens obviates the need for separate weights or clips to secure and press the two platens together.
The design of the platens also facilitates the drying and pressing process. The platens are ventilated with holes to allow for moisture to escape during the drying process. The corners of the platens have raised feet which support the assembly, preventing contact between the lower platen and the microwave oven floor. This allows for vapors to escape from the lower platen as well as the top platen, thus facilitating the drying process. Moreover, rubber bands may be looped around the platens to increase the pressing pressure during the drying process and to secure the platens together for storage purposes.